The Portland daily press., 1887-04-11
OUR OLD NAVY.
RecoIIections OF Decatur's Deeds In
Tripoli Harbor.

Stephen Decatur. the bright, handsome,
open hearted, impulsive Philadelphia boy,
ned developed into an able fearless, ener-
getic man with seaward tendencies and an
ambition to serve his country with distinction
At that time OS03 says E. W. Canning in
the Springfield Republican, he was, at "a
years Of age, so far on to eminence as, by
rapid promotions for, merit, to be serving as
captain on one of the sloops of war of our
infant navy. The Barbary states, whose pi-
racies up to this time had been both feared
and tolerated by the nations of Europe,
which purchased an imperfect immunity
from plunder by an annual tribute, were
growing bolder in their villainies. The
bashaw of Tripoli, to whom we had paid
hitherto our mortifying import, took tiff at
the United States, because we had given the
hey of Algiers more than to himself. So, de-
claring war on us, he had proceeded to cap
ture some of our merchantmen trading in the
Mediterranean, coniscate their property and
conhne their crews in his dungeons to be
redeemed by an enormous ransom. Our
young republic conceived the idea Of initial
ng new method of tribute-paying in lead.
and iron impelled by gunpowder. A naval
squadron was sent ont under Commodore
Preble, one Of whose vessels was under the
command of Decatur. Before his arrival,
the frlgate Philadelphia, while pursuing
some Of the enemy's craft, had run aground,
was surrounded by hostile boats, captured
and officers and crews were thrown into
prison. AT Decatur's suggestion an expe-
dltion was organized to retrieve, or, should
that prove impossible, to destroy her. Com
modore Preble approved the plan and gave
It's management and execution to its author,
who carried it out triumphantly With an
audacity which seemed to paralyze the cor
sairs, he boarded the frigate in their very
teetn, drove them belowdecks or overheard
and tnding 1t impossible to bring her out,
hred and blew her up. Though she was
lying directly beneath immense batteries.
this was effected without the loss of man.
LORD Nelson, whose squadron was then at
ancnor before Naples, pronounced the affair
the boldest and most daring act of the age"
But Decatur had not yet done with the
plratical foe. 1t remained to punish his ar
rogance, enforce amends for his previous
conduct and liberateIthe unfortunate captives
who were rotting in his dungeons.
Accordingly, with force of gun and NOR
tar-boats and several larger vessels, the ex-
peditlon felt its way into the harbor of Tri-
poll to confront formidable batteries defend
ed by l15 heavy pieces of cannon and 25,C0o
men, besides large portion of the Tripoli-
tan fleet. 1t was an attempt of unprecedent-
ed hardih0od, but not beyond the abilities of
its fearless leader. Decatur led the fore
most OF the three divisions of the attacking
force his younger brother, James, no whit
his inferior in daring being captain of an
other of the gun-boats of the same party
Each craft grappled with one of the enemy's
(whose crews consisted of from 35 to 60 mem
and boarded. A hand-to-hand struggle COM
menced, in which the pike, the cutlass and
the battle-ax mostly superseded the fire-arm
Nrthing could resist the discipline and i'm
petuoslty OF the assailants. In 10 minutes
minutes the Tripolitans were driven over
board or under matches, and the prizes were
hauled out of reach of the fire from the shore
batteries. While bringing out his own cap
tuIe Decatur was informed that his brother
having compelled another boat to surrender
had, while taking possession of her, been
treacherouSly shot by its commander
Stung by Indignation and fired by revenge he
gave his own prize to another officer, leaped
into his brothers boat, drove her against the
bastard corsair's, and with only nine men
among whom was McDonough, the future
victor on Lake Champlain) sprang on board
and made for the murderer. He was gi-
gantic rascal, far superior to Decatur in
every respect except agility. A 20-minutes'
mortal conflict ensued between Christian and
Moor with the result dubious indeed, con-
sidering the disparity Of numbers. Decatur
singing out the treacherous captain. attacked
him with all the vim of vengeance The lat
ter was armed with heavily-ironed board
ing pike and Decatur with a cutlass The
Iripolitan made thrust at him with his
pike, in parrying which Decatur broke his
cutlass off at the hilt. Thus disarmed. his
adversary made second lunge, which could
not be wholly avoided and which wounded
him in the arm and breast Decatur tore
the weapon from the wound and jerked it out
OF his antagonists hand. who forthwith
grappled with him and after fierce struggle
both fell to the deck, Decatur uppermost.
Both parties rushed to the aid of their re-
spectlve commanders, and fought furiously.
During the struggle Tripolitan behind De-
catur aimed saber blow at his head which
must have finished him, except that young
American sailor, who had lost the use Of
both his arms from wounds, with unsurpass-
ed devotion, rushed forward and received
the stroke upon his own head. The Moor
then exerting his utmost strength, turned
Decatur and holding him down with his iron
hand, drew from his sash a dagger where
with to close the bloody strife. Decatur dis
engaging his left hand, seized the uplifted
arm of his foe, while with his right he man
aged to draw from his side-pocket pistol
and shot his adversary dead. Then rising
from among the fallen men around him, he
recovered his feet and again heading his he
roic followers, renewed the assault upon the
Moors, who, disheartened by the death Of
their leader, fell before him or leaped into
the sea-. Decatur brought both his captured
craft successfully out Of the harbor
1t Is sad consideration that SO distin-
guished and promising an officer should, in
his AID year, have fallen victim to the code
duello and the miscalled ''law of honor"